For more than six million American children, coming home after school means coming home to an empty house. Some deal with the situation by watching TV. Some may hide. But all of them have something in common. They spend part of each day alone. They are called latchkey children. They’re children who look after themselves while their parents work. And their bad condition has become a subject of concern.
Lynette Long was once the headmaster of an elementary school. She said, “We had a school rule against wearing jewelry. A lot of kids had chains around their necks with keys attached. I was constantly telling them to put them inside shirts. There were so many keys, it never came to my mind what they meant.” Slowly, she learned they were house keys.
She and her husband began talking to the children who had them. They learned of the impact(影响) working couples and single parents were having on their children. Fear is the biggest problem faced by children at home alone. One in each three latchkey children the Longs talked to reported being scared. Many had nightmares and were worried about their own safety.
The most common way latchkey children deal with their fears is by hiding. It might be in a shower stall, under a bed in a closet. The second is TV. They’ll often play it at high volume. It’s hard to get statistics on latchkey children, the Longs learned. Most parents are slow to admit they leave their children alone.The main idea about “latchkey children” is that they _______.
| A．are growing in numbers |
| B．are also found in middle-class neighborhoods |
| C．watch too much television during the day |
| D．suffer problems from being left alone |
Which sentence in the second paragraph is the topic sentence?
| A．We had a school rule against wearing jewelry. |
| B．A lot of kids had chains around their necks. |
| C．I was constantly telling them to put inside their shirts. |
| D．They were house keys. |
The main feeling these children have when they are at home by themselves is _______.
| A．tiredness | B．freedom | C．loneliness | D．fear |
We may draw a conclusion that _______.
| A．latchkey children enjoy having such a large amount of time alone |
| B．latchkey children try to hide their feeling |
| C．latchkey children often watch TV with their parents |
| D．it’s difficult to find out how many latchkey children there are |
Massachusetts (美国一州名) became the first state in the nation to ban the dumping (倾倒;抛弃) of electronic equipment such as computer monitors and television sets. It means people there can no longer put computer monitors, TV sets and other devices containing glass picture tubes out on the street for pickup by garbage cleaners.
Official said much of this equipment is loaded with poisonous heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. These poisonous heavy metals could go into groundwater or be released (释放) into the air.
The Boston Globe reports the state has set up a system to recycle techno-garbage at state expense through community recycling centers.
Robin Ingenthron of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection said the state has been trying to get its electronics-recycling program in place ‘before the future wave of electronics hits’. The National Safety Council estimates some 300 million computers will enter the nation’s waste system in the next few years.
In addition, millions of people will be getting rid of their old television sets. New high-quality digital televisions and new rules will make old TV sets no longer in use over the next several years. The word ‘techno-garbage’ in the 3rd paragraph probably means ________.
| A．all kinds of dirty things | B．deserted TV sets |
| C．heavy metals | D．used electronic equipment |
The passage tells us chiefly about __________.
| A．forbidding of a certain type of garbage dumping |
| B．new problems of environmental protection |
| C．household problems raised by computers and TV sets |
| D．the handling of garbage |
Which is NOT a reason that the state enforces (强制执行) a ban on electronic equipment dumping?
| A．This kind of garbage is poisonous. |
| B．Recycling systems are not working well. |
| C．The poisonous heavy metals can go to the underground water and the air. |
| D．There will be much more electronic garbage soon. |
According to the last paragraph many people will be dumping their TV sets because ________.
| A．they are broken | B．they are poisonous |
| C．new TV standards have come out | D．people will be tired of them |
Love, success, happiness, family and freedom----how important are these values to you? Here is one interview which explores the fundamental questions in life.
Question: Could you introduce yourself first?
Answer: My name is Misbah, 27 years old. I was born in a war-torn area. Right now I’m a web designer.
Q: What are your great memories?
A: My parents used to take us to hunt birds, climb trees, and play in the fields. For me it was like a holiday because we were going to have fun all day long. Those are my great memories.
Q: Does your childhood mean a lot to you?
A: Yes. As life was very hard, I used to work to help bring money in for the family. I spent my childhood working, with responsibilities beyond my age. However, it taught me to deal with problems all alone. I learnt to be independent.
Q: What changes would you like to make in your life?
A: If I could change something in my life, I’d change it so that my childhood could have taken place in another area. I would have loved to live with my family in freedom. Who cares whether we have much money, or whether we have a beautiful house? It doesn’t matter as long as I can live with my family and we are safe.
Q: How do your get along with your parents?
A: My parents supported me until I came of age. I want to give back what I’ve got. That’s our way. But I am working in another city. My only contact with my parents now is through the phone, but I hate using it. It filters(过滤) out your emotion and leaves your voice only. My deepest feelings should be passed through sight, hearing and touch. In Misbah’s childhood,.
| A．he was free from worry | B．he liked living in the countryside |
| C．he was fond of getting close to nature | D．he often spent holidays with his family |
What did Misbah desire most in his childhood?
| A．A colorful life. | B．A beautiful house. |
| C．Peace and freedom. | D．Money for his family. |
How would Misbah prefer to communicate with his parents?
| A．By chatting on the Internet. | B．By calling them sometimes. |
| C．By paying weekly visits. | D．By writing them letters. |
If there were only one question left, what would it most probably be?
| A．What was your childhood dream? |
| B．What is your biggest achievement? |
| C．What is your parents’ view of you? |
| D．What was your hardest experience in the war? |
When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk(冒…危险)being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.
“Storm chasing(追逐)” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby(喜好), especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.
Although anyone can do it , storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.
Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement. “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”
However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature, It is the greatest show on Earth.”For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do is to .
A head straight for the center of the storm B. get into the car for safety
C. wait patiently for the storm to develop. D. collect information about a coming storm Beginners of storm chasing are advised .
| A．not to drive in a heavy rain | B．to do it in an organized way |
| C．not to get too close to a storm | D．to spend more time on it in summer |
By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that .
| A．storm chasing costs a lot of money | B．storm chasing is worth hours of waiting |
| C．efforts in storm chasing are well paid | D．a storm presents the greatest show on Earth |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment |
| B．Many storm chasers get killed in the storms. |
| C．Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world. |
| D．Storm chasing is only fit for young people. |
Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our possibility to give and receive support from one another under stressful conditions. Social support makes up of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties. Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to deal with major life changes and daily problems. People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over types of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, show that the presence of social support helps people defend themselves against illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others in spite of our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Taking part in free-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting (转移注意力) us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support money aid, material resources, and needed services - that reduces stress by helping us resolve and deal with our problems.Interpersonal relationships are important because they can ________
| A．make people live more easily | B．smooth away daily problems |
| C．deal with life changes | D．cure types of illnesses |
The researches show that people's physical and mental health _______
| A．lies in the social medical care systems which support them |
| B．has much to do with the amount of support they get from others |
| C．depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles |
| D．is related to their courage for dealing with major life changes |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word "cushions"?
| A．takes place of | B．makes up of | C．reduces the effect of | D．causes |
What is the subject discussed in the text?
| A．Interpersonal relationships. | B．Kinds of social support. |
| C．Ways to deal with stress. | D．Effects of stressful condition. |
According to the American Automobile Association , since 1964 all cars sold in the United States have been equipped with seat belts (These are also called safety belts.) . Many studies of automobile accidents have shown that safety belts can save lives. One study showed that forty percent of those killed in auto accidents could have been saved if they had been wearing seat belts.
Unfortunately, belts are worn only by a small percentage of drivers and passengers — about fifteen percent in cities, and only nine percent in small towns. And safety belts cannot protect people who do not wear them.
In order to find out what kinds of people do wear seat belts, a study was made in several cities of the United States. The following facts were about those who use their safety belts:
1. They do not smoke while driving.
2. They have had more education than non-users.
3. They know someone who was injured (but not killed) in an automobile accident.
Advertisements based on these facts have been printed in newspapers and magazines in order to teach people the importance of using seat belts. But these advertisements have not helped much. Some people believe there should be a law requiring drivers and passengers to use safety belts. In Australia, where there is such a law, deaths in auto accidents have decreased twenty-four percent.The passage is mainly about ______.
| A．automobiles in the United States | B．accidents involving cars |
| C．safety belts for drivers and passengers | D．traffic jams |
The passage tells us that in Australia ______.
| A．a law requires drivers and passengers to use seat belts |
| B．about 50% of the drivers wear seat belts |
| C．the importance of seat belts is advertised in newspapers and magazines |
| D．the auto accidents have kept the same percent as in the US |
People who live in small towns _____.
| A．have fewer accidents than those who live in cities |
| B．are less likely to use seat belts than those who live in cities |
| C．welcome the passing of a law to require the use of seat belts |
| D．are against the law that requires people to use seat belts |
Many studies have shown that seat belts can save lives of those who ______.
| A．never wear seat belts |
| B．seldom wear seat belts |
| C．are wearing seat belts when the accidents happen |
| D．sit at the back of the cars |